PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sebastien Linne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toshihiro Kai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Linne's entrance music is Arcturus - The Chaos Path. A fine choice. This should be fireworks!

Linne
vs
Kai

170 cm
38
165 lbs
29 - 13 - 0

215 cm
33
166 lbs
27 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 13 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sebastien Linne!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Toshihiro Kai!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Paul Aken and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kai gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Linne makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Kai misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Kai fails to land.
Kai lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kai misses with the head strike.
Linne prevents a body shot from Kai.
Kai misses with a body punch.
Linne blocking some punches.
Linne prevents a body shot from Kai.
Kai throws a punch but it's blocked by Linne.
Linne lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Kai.
Kai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kai misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kai swings wildly with an uppercut but Linne uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Kai.
Kai blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Linne doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kai tries to work over Linne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kai lands a body shot in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kai.
Kai misses with a punch to the body.
Linne throws a punch but it's blocked by Kai.
Kai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Linne goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kai tries a body shot but Linne blocks it.
Linne lands a right hand.
A head punch on the inside from Kai fails to land.
A short uppercut from Kai.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kai throws a head punch that misses.
Kai lands with a short head shot on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Linne's elbow.
Kai misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kai tries a body shot but Linne blocks it.
Linne lands with a light punch inside.
Linne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Linne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Kai scores with a nice short uppercut.

Linne breaks the clinch.
Linne throws a head kick that misses.
Kai tries to land a body kick
and Linne makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Kai dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Linne counters with a left to the body.
Linne displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kai throws out the jab.
Kai scores with the left hand. Linne knows he should have avoided that one.
Linne throws a head kick that misses.
A low kick from Linne is predictable there
and Kai counters with a left to the body.
Kai throws a head kick that Linne semi-blocks.
Linne takes one on the button.
Kai is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Kai rushes Linne and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kai throws a punch but it's blocked by Linne.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Linne swings wildly with an uppercut but Kai uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kai misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kai throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Linnes head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kai lands a shot to the body.
Kai misses with a hook from the clinch.
Linne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Linne blocks a body shot from Kai.
Kai misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kai tries to work over Linne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Linne misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kai misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kai makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Linne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshihiro Kai dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Linne wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
A low kick from Linne is predictable there
and Kai counters with a left and a right that stings Linne.
Good exchange - Kai coming out on top.
Kai throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Linne.
Kai tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Linne manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Kai.
Kai throws out a leg kick but Linne moves out of range and Kai only half commits.
A big right from Kai misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linne throws a head kick but Kai moves out of range.
Kai misses with a body shot.
Kai throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Kai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Linne has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
A swing and a miss from Linne.
Kai dips to his left and cracks Linne with an uppercut!
Kai looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Linne scores with a leg kick.
Kai walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kai lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Linne thuds his right hand into Kai's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Linne lets loose with a powerful body kick. Kai will feel that in the morning.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kai is looking to clinch but Linne is avoiding it.
Kai connects with a single shot there.
Kai tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Linne counters with a big head kick but Kai shrugs it off.

Kai takes the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Linne.
Kai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Linne has a couple of punches blocked by Kai.
Kai misses with some punches.
Kai throws a punch but it's blocked by Linne.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kai.
Kai lands with a left to the head.
A short left from Kai.
Kai misses with a hook from the clinch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kai can't find room to land a body shot as Linne controls the action.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Linne throws a punch but it's blocked by Kai.
Linne blocking some punches.
Kai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Linne's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Linne escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kai throws a looping overhand right but Linne ducks down to avoid it.
Linne circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice jab there from Kai.
Toshihiro Kai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kai clinches up with Linne and pushes him back against the cage.
Kai misses with some punches.
Kai tries a body shot but Linne blocks it.
Kai misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kai misses with a punch to the body.
Kai throws a head punch that misses.
Kai can't find room to land a body shot as Linne controls the action.
Kai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshihiro Kai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Linne moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Kai throws a looping overhand right but Linne ducks down to avoid it.
Kai throws a hook to the side of Linne's head but Linne sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Linne looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Linne throws a head kick that misses.
Linne avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A decent looking cross lands there for Kai.

Kai clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linne doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kai misses with a body punch.
Still in the clinch, Kai scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kai.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kai.
Kai tries to work over Linne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Linne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Linne throws a punch but it's blocked by Kai.
Kai misses with a body punch.

Linne's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kai checks a leg kick.

Kai has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Linne.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head punch on the inside from Linne fails to land.
Kai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Linne blocks a body shot from Kai.
Kai throws a punch but it's blocked by Linne.
Kai can't find room to land a body shot as Linne controls the action.
Kai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kai tries a body shot but Linne blocks it.

Linne breaks the clinch.
Linne scores with a shot to the body.
Kai throws a jab but it's blocked by Linne.
Linne avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kai throws a jab but it's blocked by Linne.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linne scores with a nice right hand.
Kai tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Linne manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Linne takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Kai works the jab nicely.
Kai throws a head kick that misses.
Kai loads up on a big right hand but Linne slips the punch.
Kai scores with a jab.
Kai ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kai throws a right and a left that Linne avoids nicely.
No joy there for Kai, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kai lands with a shot to the body.
Kai tries to clinch but Linne is having none of it.
Kai stuns Linne with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Kai keeps Linne at a distance using the push kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Linne looks to land a left hand but Kai moved out of range nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kai tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Linne manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshihiro Kai really dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Toshihiro Kai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kai misses with a body kick.
Linne misses with a body kick.
Kai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Linne misses with a body shot
and Kai counters with a good low kick that Linne was not able to check.
Kai tries to clinch up but Linne circles away and keeps his distance.
Linne throws a shot from downtown. Kai moves away and avoids it.
Kai looks to land a left hand but Linne moved out of range nicely.
Linne goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linne does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Linne keeps the fight on the outside.
Linne keeps the fight on the outside.
Linne throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Linne misses with a body kick.
Kai moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Linne tried to score with a low kick but Kai checks it.
Kai wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kai takes the fight into the clinch.
Kai blocking some punches.
Kai tries a body shot but Linne blocks it.
A right handed body shot lands from Kai.
Linne lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Linne misses with a punch to the body.
Kai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Linne's elbow.
Linne lands a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kai blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai struggles to land a body shot inside as Linne controls his hands.
Kai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Linne blocking some punches.
Linne prevents a body shot from Kai.
Kai scores with a nice hook to the head.
Toshihiro Kai seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Kai softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A hook to the body from Linne.
Kai blocks an uppercut.
Kai misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kai lands with a short shot to the head.
Linne prevents a body shot from Kai.
Linne lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kai.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kai tries to work over Linne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Linne blocking some punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kai goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kai working aggressively here.
Kai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Linne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kai tries a body shot but Linne blocks it.
Kai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kai misses with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Linne.
Linne doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Linne blocks an uppercut.
Linne misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kai goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Linne blocks a body shot from Kai.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshihiro Kai dominated that fourth round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Kai pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kai misses with a two punch combination.
Kai is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Kai thows a body shot but no joy.
Linne lets loose with a powerful body kick. Kai will feel that in the morning.
Kai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kai looks to score with a jab to the body but Linne is just out of range.
Linne uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kai.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linne moves away from the strike by Kai.
Linne on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Kai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Linne.
Some wild striking there from Kai.
Kai throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Linne sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kai throws out a loose jab but Linne uses good head movement to avoid it.
Linne keeps the fight on the outside.
Sebastien Linne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kai clinches up against the cage.
Kai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kai misses with a punch to the body.
Kai working aggressively here.
Toshihiro Kai is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Linne misses with a body punch.
Linne lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kai backwards.
Kai tries a body shot but Linne blocks it.
Kai lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kai doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linne has a couple of punches blocked by Kai.
Linne is working Kai over against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Linne.
Linne has a couple of punches blocked by Kai.
Linne misses with a punch on the inside.
Linne blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Linne lands a hook that snaps the head of Kai backwards.
Linne working aggressively here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kai blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Linne tries to circle away but Kai has him pinned against the cage.
Kai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Linne's elbow.
Linne swings wildly with an uppercut but Kai uses good head movement to avoid it.
Linne swings wildly with an uppercut but Kai uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Linne doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Linne misses with a short punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toshihiro Kai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kai has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 45:50
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 45:50
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toshihiro Kai!
Toshihiro Kai is the new lightweight champion!
After winning the bout, Toshihiro Kai thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.